Customer Reviews

Business, Economics, and Finance with Matlab, GIS, and Simulation Models

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

As a doctoral student in Finance, I use Matlab a lot for modeling and computation. I had been searching for a reference book that can help me build simulation models using SIMULINK. But the only books available are in specialized fields such as physics or engineering. Patrick Anderson's book attract me immediately by its title. A combination of MATLAB, SIMULATION, GIS and Economics-- that's exactly what I was looking for. It managed to keep up with my high expectation with its highly informative content. The examples given were very well selected and close to application, corresponding Matlab code were neat. It kept surprising me with bonus tricks in using MATLAB(such as getting yahoo stock time seres directly using Matlab, creating XML files), which themselves are well worth the price. I recommend this book to researchers or analysts who want to stand at the frontier of business evaluation, and those who want to exploit the power of Matlab in business forecasting.

This book appeals to me for several reasons. It discusses sophisticated methods of valuing business enterprises, and critiques competing models with a matter-of-course approach. The reader is given the perspective and reference to related work. Pitfalls of prejudiced and lackadaisical estimation are shown with neat examples.

On the technical side, experienced MatLab users find good ready-to-implement tools, code segments, and references in the book. The book encourages the use of simulation analysis, and brings it down from its pedestal to business-management level as part of a standard business-planning procedure. Given the traditional disregard for detailed GIS data (springing from the absence of software and expertise), this book also brings up the role of multifaceted geography in business performance and strategy. While not a textbook in GIS methods, it fills a gap in reference literature and shows how loaded the concepts are.

Anderson's book is equal parts course and reference guide for using Matlab and simulation models for business and economic analysis. It offers material for both those who have a strong understanding of the programs (though may be relatively new to economic, financial, or market analysis), and those who are just getting started with the program.

The book's greatest strength is the material on Matlab and simulation modeling, combined with the insight the author provides from his extensive experience as a consultant and industry economist.

It should be noted that this book is not an extensive guide to Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Although the book provides many helpful examples, and advice on incorporating GIS into business and economic analyses, this is not its emphasis. However, what it lacks in instruction in the area of GIS, it more than makes up for in its other content.

In all, this book is highly recommended. It provides fantastic instruction and reference in using Matlab and simulation modeling tools for business and economic analysis.

I agree with the other reviewer who gave 1 star for this book. I have no idea where the other reviewers are coming from. This book is extremely superficial. If you are a graduate level student trying to learn how to model or solve business, economics, and finance problems using Matlab I cant' see how this book will be of any use to you. Even if you are just seeking a very basic introduction to these topics, this book is way too expensive given the content. You can learn more from wikipedia.

A superficial book that mentions everything from fuzzy logic to Ito's lemma and knows what a Main Street economic consultant would. It fails completely as far as Matlab and Simulink are concerned: the code is sketchy, and model diagrams sufficiently incomplete and uncommented to be useless. The positive reviews by self-identified doctoral students invite sad thoughts.